Key for pianos, organs, and the like.



J. F. POAGE. KEY FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. I915.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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INVENTOB Janie/3 J, 1) y W/ TNESSES:

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. POAGE, OF KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI.

KEY FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed September 20, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, James F. Poasn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kirksville, in the county of Adair and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keys for Pianos, Organs, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in keys for pianos, organs, and the like, and the invention has for its object to provide a key of the' character specified, for use with pianos, organs and like instruments, wherein the mounting of the key is such that there will be no sticking, no rattling nor wearing away of the parts, and wherein the shaky, unsteady feel of the key under the fingers is eliminated, and wherein the key may be easily regulated in height.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side view of a mounted key; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the forward ends of two keys, and Figs. a and 5 are sections on the lines ll and 55, respectively, of Fig. 2.

In the present emobdiment of the invention, the key 1 is supported upon the bal ance rail 2, by means of a screw 3. This screw at its lower end fits within a recess a in the balance rail, and a plug or washer 5 of felt or the like is arranged within the recess beneath the screw. The upper end of the screw is threaded, and is provided with a transverse kerf, for permitting the insertion of a screw driver or the like to turn the screw, and the screw is threaded through an opening 6 in the key.

The balance rail 2 is supported on the frame 7 in the usual manner, and the downward movement of the key on the balance rail is limited at the end adjacent to the abstract 8, by means of a cushion 9 of felt or the like, placed upon the rail or stop 10, which rests upon the frame. At the opposite end the downward movement of the key is limited by a headed screw 11, which has radial openings for receiving a pin or the like for turning screw, and the screw has a threaded stem 12.

The key is braced by means of a brace 18, which is provided at one end with an angular portion which is received within an opening in the under side of the key, and the brace extends obliquely from the key toward the balance rail 2.

The inner end of the brace is reduced, as

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Serial No. 51,710.

shown at 16, and the reduced portion has an angular portion 17, which is provided with a ball 18 at its free end. This ball and a portion of the angular portion 17 is received within an opening 19 in the balance rail, as shown in Fig. 5.

A portion of the key at the under side and on the side from which the brace extends is cut away as indicated at 20, in Fig. 1 and the forward limit of which cut away portion is indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, to prevent interference between the brace and the key during the movement of the key. This cut away portion is inclined to the long axis of the key, as shown, and it is of greatest depth at its forward end adjacent the angular portion lat of the brace, as shown.

In Fig. 3, the braces 13 are shown arranged alongside each other and in parallel relation in connection with two keys, the brace of one extending into the cut away portion of the other, so that they do not interfere with each other during the action of the keys.

The improved mounting effectively limits and guides the movements of the key and hence prevents sticking of the key and rattling, and therefore eliminates to a considerable extent wear upon any of the parts. Furthermore, there is no unsteadiness of the key in action. The cushioning is protected from moths, and while the construction is essentially simple, yet the adjustment is easily made, it being only necessary to turn the single screw of each key.

It will be noticed that the opening a for the screw gradually increases in diameter from the bottom upward, that is, the said opening or recess is tapering or frusto-conical and arranged with its small end downward, to insure the freest possible movement of the key with respect to the rail. This tapering form of the opening is not lateral, however, but only longitudinal with respect to the key.

The oblique arrangement of the braces effectively guides the keys in their movements, and thus tends to limit sticking, rattling, and wearing because of the fact that all points of friction beyond the pivots are done away with. Thus at the pivots the parts may be fitted snugly together without danger of sticking. This arrangement in addition elminates the shaky feeling of the key beneath the fingers, and, considering these advantages, the construction is obviously simple and inexpensive for the purpose.

I claim: 1. The combination with the balance rail and the keys, and the limiting means for the keys; of a screw engaging each key at the balance rail, the balance rail having an opening for each screw, the screw engaging the opening; a pad of cushioning material beneath each screw, an inclined brace rod connecting the outer end of each key with the balance rail, each key having an opening in its under side and intermediate the screw and the outer end; each brace rod having an angular portion at each end, the angular portion at one end engaging the opening of the key, and the balance rail having an opening for engagement by the angular portion at the other end of the brace; each key being cut away at its under side to prevent interference of the brace with the swinging of the key, and the several braces being pivoted at the balance rail.

2. The combination with the balance rail and the keys, and the limiting means for the keys; of a screw engaging each key at the balance rail, and the balance rail having an opening for each screw, the screw engag- 7 ing the opening, a pad of cushioning material beneath each screw, and an inclined brace rod connecting the outer end of each key with the balance rail.

3. The combination with the balance rail and the keys, and the limiting means for the keys, oi a screw engaging each key at the balance rail, and the balance rail having an opening for each screw, the screw engaging the opening, and a pad of cushioning material beneath each screw. I

at. The combinationwith the balance rail and the keys, of a screw threaded through the key at the balance rail, and the balance rail having an opening for receiving the lower end, said opening gradually increasing in diameter from its bottom upward; and an inclined brace rod connecting each key with the balance rail, each rod being pivoted to the key intermediate the screw and the outer end of the key and to the balance rail; each brace rod having angular portions at each end extending in opposite directions, and the key having an opening in its under side for receiving one portion; the rail having an opening in its upper side for receiving the other portion and the key being cut away from the opening to prevent interference with the rod, said rod being pivoted to the balance rail.

5. The combination with the balance rail and the keys, of a screw threaded through the key at the balance rail, and the balance rail having an opening for receiving the lower end, said opening gradually increasing in diameter from its bottom upward, and an inclined brace rod connecting each key with the balance rail, each rod being pivoted to the key intermediate the screw and the outer end of the key and to the balance rail.

6. The combination with the balance rail and the keys balanced thereon, of an inclined brace-rod connecting each key with the balance rail, each rod being pivoted at one end to the key intermediate the outer end thereof and the balance rail and at its opposite end to the balance rail.

JAMES F. POAGE. lVitnesses HAZEL PETERMYER, NELLm BENNEsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. I 

